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The trip to Cuba exceeded my expectations in virtually every regard. On the first day of the program the program leader used the metaphor of peeling the layers of an onion to describe how we would come to understand the complexity of Cuban society. It is an apt metaphor and one that helped me make sense of the multitude of experiences provided on this trip.

The program that my husband and I attended was "The People of Cuba: Meet Leading Musicians, Athletes and Artists", program #20610. We went at the end of June into the first of July and had an absolutely wonderful experience, despite the intense heat. Our American group leader, Lana, couldn't have been more compassionate or solicitous; and our Cuban leader, Vivien, went in depth with her knowledge of Cuba and with her kindness,understanding and insight. Our accommodations were excellent; the food and drinks were plentiful and delicious (although we both got sick at one point: my husband in Havana and I in Varadero); the bus was clean, air conditioned and very comfortable; and the people to people interactions were interesting and heart-warming I felt like I had taken a graduate course on Cuba after experiencing Vivien's lectures and taking the field trips and I was honored to be in Cuba at this time of hope and change. This trip totally exceeded my expectations and I recommend it highly. My husband says, "Ditto".

As an independent national and international traveler, the 'Cuba and Its People' program was my first organized travel program and first RS program. From my first contact with the RS staff to the time we took off from Miami to Havana and our return, the program, the leadership, the learning experiences in Cuba, and the camaraderie of the group, were all memorable. I cannot say enough about this program and all one would see and experience. Be open and flexible on this adventure....just go!

President Obama announced the resumption of diplomatic ties between the US and Cuba during the June 24-July 2 tour. It was an incredible opportunity to see and experience the country first-hand knowing it will be in the news in the coming weeks and months. Both Kerry and Obama will presumably stay at the gorgeous and historic Hotel Nacionel, as do Road Scholars!
I urge you to go now, and be assured, as I saw, that some of the program fees go towards each of the people-to-people connections, as did any of our purchases of t- shirts or CDs after the interactions.
Our group leader well-prepared us prior to departure, dealt with the myriad arrangements during the week and accompanied us until baggage claim on the return to Miami. Our Cuban guide and driver were outstanding.
I am younger than most RS participants and a fiercely independent traveler but navigating Cuba, even if you are fluent in Spanish (I am not) would be a nightmare. It was well-worth moving at a much slower pace and adhering to the day's agenda for all I gained.
Adequate free time was built into each day, whether to explore on your own or just relax in and around either if the beautiful properties. The food was plentiful, and much attention paid to our remaining healthy. Several in my group became ill the first day but it's not clear it was Cuba-related food.
You will eat primarily in the private restaurants or the hotels.
I strongly recommend going to Old Havana in Miami and also the Bay of Pigs Museum. Both really enhanced my understanding of both perspectives.
The other participants were friendly and welcoming, and 4-5 were single travelers like me.
While currently rated as "active" I would disagree. We did very little walking and the pace was very slow when we did. There are some stairs here and there and rough cobblestones occasionally, but always elevators as an option and assistance on and off the bus. Some in my group used walking aids. Maybe this is subjective?

This program gave us an opportunity to learn about Cuba and to meet a variety of Cubans that we never would have met as tourists. The programs gave us a variety of contacts with different artists, dancers and community facilities. Participants were interesting and kind. The guide and leader were very knowledgeable, helpful and just overall great peopole. Fantastic experience. It was my first Road Scholar experience and I plan to join others.

Go to Cuba now so you'll have some perspective when Kentucky Fried Chicken opens up next to a Starbucks. Seeing/experiencing Cuba in the intense Road Scholar way is the only way to "know" Cuba. Otherwise, you will be just a tourist and could be anywhere there is a beach,sand and Mojitos. This trip was well organized and well led. The weather interrupted our schedule, but our guide Vivian and leader Cuqui weren't ruffled and still managed to fit everything in. The food is good and plentiful. The traveling companions were well-traveled and amazingly up for anything no matter their ages. Many singles, so if you are a single traveler, Don't let that stop you. Cuba fills your heart.

I recommend this trip if you have the curiosity about Cuba and its people, you will have the opportunity to meet and talk to them, listen to their music, enjoy their culture, learn about their history. It is a beautiful country overall. Also, you will travel with interesting people, too.

Such a wonderful tour -- don't hesitate, if you are interested!! Fast paced, packed with amazing tours, visits with artists, dancers, musicians. If you are lucky enough to get the tour guide I had -- Maria Gross -- you will be in heaven -- she is a joy!! It is very educational -- you will come away with a full understanding of Cuban politics. I loved every single second of the tour. 5 days in Havana & then 2 glorious days at Varadero Beach Resort.... One word of advice: be VERY careful about what you eat & get your Hep A, B & Typhoid vaccines prior to going... several members of our group got rather ill......

Cuba is a fascinating country hoping to improve its economy by increased trade with the US. The people are friendly, hard-working and good looking. This is a thoroughly enjoyable, interesting and eye-opening trip.

If you want to have a wonderful experience in Cuba this is the way to do it. RS guides (in US and Cuba) and bus driver in Cuba were all caring and efficient. The Cuban people were open and welcoming. The food was delicious and the accommodations were first-class for Cuba. Go before McDonald's gets there!

Here's what I received for the money: I got to learn about how inventive, resourceful, and proud the Cuban people are. I learned just how hard the American embargo has been for the average Cuban I got meet artists, dancers and musicians. Cubans are warm, inviting, proud of their high literacy rate and their healthcare system. They love their educational system, too.
The sooner you can go, the better.

Go to Cuba now! It is more than what we have expected. It is indeed learning about what people in Cuba have gone through these last 50 years and feeling their enthusiasm about the future of friendship between US and Cuba.
Great guides and driver. They took good care of us
Home cooked meals at the farm and community art center debunked the myth about bad food in Cuba. In fact, local food is still organic...no pesticide, herbicides (because they can't afford to buy them)! Better than many of our bastardized mass produced products in the USA which we call food.

Came away with a greater understanding and appreciation for the Cuban people and their system of government. They are warm hearted, ,hungry for building links with the United States,intelligent,hard working, hopefully for their future, incredibly resourceful, family orientated,fun loving.

we just loved this program and Cuba in general. Would enjoy seeing more of the country. all the people on our tour were great to travel with, the RS guide was the best. Hope to here from others who traveled on May 4th.

Cuba..never thought that I would travel there and be fully engaged with the people who live there. All ages...everyone was so happy and eager to share they information and their homes I want to go back.

Highlights: (a) how fascinating Cuba is now--old character plus optimism about the future, (b) excellent educational/cultural events in Cuba (c) extremely knowledgeable and personable Cuban guide. Our events included an outstanding presentation on Cuban music; two excellent dance performances; interesting meetings with visual artists; and a meeting with journalists who were open and candid about life in Cuba. Poorly managed trips to an elder facility and a cigar-factory outlet store were rare duds.
Downsides: The most DISorganized tour ever! Deviations from plan are inevitable, but our Road Scholar trip coordinator seemed never to know what was going to happen next and thus gave us minimal information. She was defensive in response to questions about logistics. She knew little about Cuba and gave us some very strange misinformation. She led us to expect harassment by Cuban officials (there was none), said not to stray far from our hotel (Why? The crime rate is low, the people are friendly, it’s easy to find your way and easy to get a taxi back), and didn’t know about the two Cuban currencies or current rules on what we could bring back. That said, she did work hard to fix any problems that arose, and some of the misinformation seems to have come from Road Scholar itself, whose written materials are out of date and have a needlessly hostile, anxious tone. (Written by anti-Castro expats?)
Our hotel (the Nacional) was very nice, though room sizes vary a lot. A last-day stay at a Spanish-run resort was pleasant. Food was variable, starting with a truly awful Miami hotel dinner. In Cuba, meals ranged from very nice restaurant dinners to dreadful box lunches. People with food preferences are poorly accommodated. And the organizers need to be more careful with food: Almost all of us suffered some food-related problems (though nothing too serious). Meals had lots of lettuce and raw vegetables, which it’s good practice to avoid outside of wealthy countries.

Road Scholar provides a wonderful window into the lives of a people and a country which has remained somewhat a mystery for over fifty years. The activities and lectures rounded out a picture of the art, music and dance of these lively and friendly people.

To experience Cuba at this moment in time seemed essential to me, before the US has easy access to the culture. I respect the Cuban experiment, though I may have seen it through rose-colored glasses. I would go and make your own judgment. But hurry! Who knows how it will change once we have an eased relationship? (Hopefully that will happen.) The Road Scholar trip is a great way to go!

Now is the perfect time to participate in a Road Scholar program in Cuba. Cubans welcomed us with big smiles, eager greetings, and optimism about the new future of their country. An exciting time to be there.
Donna Love, Santa Rosa, CA

When I am asked which trip I have taken was my favorite, this trip will be one of a few at the top of my list. I am still savoring all of the numerous and varied experiences. I would not have missed a moment. Our leaders were knowledgeable and enjoyable. The Hotel Nacional was a deco trip into the past. Each experience was unique, educational and enjoyable from private dance and music performances to the seniors singing to us at the senior center and everything in-between and after. The people were all welcoming and helpful and we had many opportunities to meet them. Our group of travelers was an added joy to this trip. A flexible fun group who were up for anything. This trip met my expectations and beyond. If you are going be prepared for a fast pace and to be flexible and you will have an unforgettable experience. The only thing I would change would be to make it a little longer. I wasn't ready for it to be over. Guess I will just have to go back!

Some of the most pleasant moments of my travelling experience were just sitting in the open air, in the shade of the umbrella, with a pina coloda in hand. The Nacional is like a friendly old dowager, rich with life and culture. Melia Varaderos is a lively, modern, totally indulgent reminder of youth. Both offered every creature comfort. I intend to visit both again.

Excellent program. Exceeded my expectations. Cuba is so much more complex than just old cars and historic structures. The people were warm and welcoming. The program coordinator and local expert were very good and really helped to introduce us to the people and culture of Cuba. The entire group of 22 was a joy to be with!

Great trip. The Cuban people were so warm and open and friendly. $500 is not enough money. Don't take the $5 hop on/hop off bus at Valadero unless you are up for being crushed by a crowd; having 30 minute breaks by the driver. I ended up getting stranded in town. The gluten free option is a laugh. My meal was served 45 minutes after everyone else. I was expecting some on the range of 4-5 on a scale of 10. The trip was actually a 9-10. You won't mistake the Nacional Hotel for a Marriott; it is historic. The food was way beyond my expectations. I thought a palavar was eating at a table with Mom and Pop. Actually it was a ***** star restaurant. Be prepared for a brisk schedule. The people in my group were wonderful. The best thing that happened was: walking back to the hotel at 10:30 p.m. (something I would not do at home) and singing "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" with five teenage Cuban boys. The resort in Valadero was like Hawaii in the late 1960's. Overall; it was the best trip I have even been on and I'm already signed up to go again next year.

Cuba is an interesting country and the people are wonderful. You will probably come back with more questions than answers. But be advised not many Cubans speak English so brush up on your Spanish and bring along a dictionary or translator app for your interactions.

I have just returned from unforgetable and unexpectedly incredible and amazing trip to Cuba with Road Scholar. Thank you Road Scholar for making it possible. Everything was delivered as promised and even better! This was my first trip with Road Scholar and I will consider others. I highly recommend; both the travel to Cuba and traveling with Road Scholar!

My trip to Cuba was an eye opener into a complex and fascinating island country. The people we met were friendly, creative and hopeful for a new association with the US. Visiting at this time of rapid political change made the visit especially exciting. My understanding of Cuba has increased a million fold!

My Road Scholar trip to Cuba is now one of my all-time favorites and I have been on many trips all over the world. The variety of experiences Road Scholar planned for us was really great. I got to meet and speak with the local dancers, students, elderly people, children of all ages and listen to fabulous music, have dancers a foot away from me, and see wonderful art works of all types up close and personal. If you don't like standing in one place for very long, this trip is not for you, however. I hope they cut down on this because not being able to move around for sometimes as long at 20-30 minutes is very uncomfortable. Otherwise, the overall experience was simply great.

I recently returned from the Cuban Evolution in the Arts and Free Enterprise trip. It was such a wonderful experience that I would highly recommend it to anyone who has long held a desire to visit Cuba. The group experience was delightful, the people we met were loving and welcoming and I hope to return.

Our Road Scholar trip to Cuba met all our expectations and then some! I intend to recommend it to everyone I can at our Senior Centre. Unfortunately, most of my close personal friends are well into their 80's, use walkers or have breathing problems. But if all you need is a cane --- go for it! We did and we're both 87 yrs. young!

Delightful and surprising experience, greatly enhanced by our in-country guide, Israel Olivera, who was attentive, intelligent, honest and funny. He was the perfect person to introduce us to the creative and resilient people of Cuba.

The arts emphasis makes the Road Scholar Cuba visit exceptional. Meeting artists from different generations with different views of life in Cuba over the last 50 years was both interesting and important to our understanding of the country and of art as well. Our guides were splendid; the Cuban people were welcoming; the food was delightful; the prospects for a renewed relationship between our countries are very hopeful indeed.

I cannot say enough good things about The Cuban Evolution in the Arts and Free Enterprise program. It totally exceeded my expectations. It was my first Road Scholar trip and I cannot wait to take another one.

I thought I had posted a review of this trip but I don't see it so here it goes again. I have traveled a great deal but the trip to Cuba that I took with Road Scholar from 1/7-1/15 of 2015 was one of the best experiences I have had. I love all the sites that were chosen for us to visit, the people were lovely, and the knowledge and expertise of our guides was remarkable. Migdalia, our Cuban guide, was very clear and detailed in her discussion of the history of Cuba and the charm and efficiency of our Road Scholar guide, Yeraldine Ordonez, was unique. Yeraldine was very helpful at all times and a pure delight. Go soon before the invasion of the megastores.
Lenore Salazar

Great group leader,Yeraldine Ordonez and Cuban guide Migdalia was very knowledgeable. One of the best Road Scholar trips I've taken. This was a great opportunity to experience Cuba now, meeting Cubans who are very hopeful for what the future will bring.

This Road Scholar trip combined all the positive aspects of travel - superb leadership from our group leader, Yeraldine Ordonez and Havana naitve guide, Migdalia; a very well planned itinerary allowing us glimpses into life in Cuba today and into the changes we may see in the future; and 22 fellow travelers who were intellectually curious, fun, and never complained... what more could you ask! Bravo!

Road Scholar's,Cuba the Arts and Community was truly a life changing experience. Traveling at this time of changing relations for the US and Cuba, we got an insider's view of Cuban life as it has been since 1959 and the excitement building for what is to come. Meeting the people up close and personal, was truly an honor and memory I will treasure. Already planning to return.

My sister and I joined the group going to Cuba in November 2014. We had an absolutely wonderful time. The itinerary was fascinating. The music and art wonderful. Our Road Scholar guide could not have been more pleasant and well organized and the local guide "knew everything." I highly recommend this trip and feel that we had a special privilege of being there right before the US lifted some of the sanctions. Long over due.

This Cuban adventure was an extraordinary combination of the historical and current situation of this magical island. The opportunity for people-to-people encounters resulted in memorable experiences on a deeply personal level. My fascination with Cuba has increased by this truly unique adventure.

I just returned from completing The Cuban Evolution in the Arts and Free Enterprise. I rate this program a top score! Our group leader, Sergio was terrific. He handled all issues, and answered our questions. Our guide, Migdalia was informative and knowledgeable. The program content made Cuba come alive for me,and the scenery and architecture were fabulous. I can see why this program is a top seller for Road Scholar. Michelle in NH

This trip provides a wonderful exposure to current painters, photographers, dancers and musicians. The fine performances and personal interaction with these talented people is truly gratifying. The freedom of movement within country and ability to converse openly with the Cubans is a reward in itself.

If you are interested in the Art, Music and Dance of Cuba, this trip is for you. We experienced the Arts from the perspectives of both younger and older artists, Government Sponsored and Independent artists, traditional and modern artists. All was wonderful as were our enthusiastic and knowledgeable guides. It's thought provoking and allows you to connect with another culture around that which we share in common. The "moderate activity" refers more to the number of experiences one has in a day rather than actual distance walking.

The Cuban Art and Dance Tour exceeded expectations times two. It ain't your grandparent's "Flamingo Tour." It's Cuba of now, cutting edge, hopeful. The RS program takes you behind the curtain and reveals wonders of art and dance that one is not prepared for. The best eight days of my life ...

My compliments to Road Scholar for such a perfectly organized journey!. "The Cuban Art Revolution: Meeting the Artists and People of Cuba" was an eyeopener and a rich experience. The various programs were carefully selected and highly interesting. Accommodations and meals were excellent; and our guides superb. I found it at times almost overwhelming, when realizing the limited resources available to the people, and how we were met with dignity, generosity, friendliness, and open attitudes and hearts everywhere we went.
I'll be forever grateful for the opportunity of meeting so many interesting people at different levels: Art, University, and especially also inner-city, the elderly, and having people-to-people talks; something I could not have arranged on my own. I very much support the recent voices and efforts in our Government to end the travel restrictions for US citizens and to lift the extraordinary hardship for the Cuban population.

What a wonderful trip!!!
Road Scholar has created a well organized, insightful people to people interaction with artists and the arts of Cuba. I enjoyed every minute. The painters, dancers, singers, musicians and writers we had the chance to met were unique and talented. The old area of Havana and the coastline was historical and a visual feast. All of this experienced in a country to which Americans have not been able to travel in over 50 years: it was more than I expected and well worth each penny spent. So many of my preconceived notions were incorrect and I was amazed at what I saw.
Yeraldine, our Road Scholar team leader and Mirelys our interpretor and guide were efficient, well informed and full of invaluable information. Our bus driver, Rene, was professional and skilled. Not once, did I feel unsafe.
Whether you are an artist or are an appreciator of the arts...GO! Experience the art and people in Cuba before it changes. So unique.

This trip is a must see for those who want to see the present Cuba and feel the hope of a new opening Cuba.
Don't wait or overthink. Just sign up and enjoy. You will be sooo surprised and glad you did.

This trip was a rich and deeply satisfying educational experience. Cuba is a society bubbling with creative, resilient, and resourceful people finding ways to survive and express themselves in an economy built to suppress and frustrate. Road Scholar offered us the experience of Cuban arts in a way we could not imagine in any other country my wife and I have visited. Our small group was the sole audience for three dynamic dance recitals – two contemporary, and one Afro-Cuban-percussive – that would have filled the hall anywhere in the world. We heard a brilliant six-piece jazz combo play an hour+ set just for us in an otherwise empty cabaret. We visited artists in their ateliers and marveled at the quality of what they had made. We had an insightful docent-led tour of the Museo Nacional de Cuba led by the Deputy Director of the local Ludwig Foundation, followed that night by a lecture and dinner with resident artists conversing with us at each table. These are just samples, and there was so much more. We met the elderly and we met the young. At every stop we had a dazzling privilege to see, feel, and touch art in the making, and to benefit from the generosity of people visibly grateful that people from outside the confines of their sphere had come to see and appreciate what they are doing. The ’58 Chevys are really there and fun for us Americanos to see, but they are actually patched together reminder of the sparse resources with which the Cuban people work to get through each day. And what a privilege to be there and see how much they make of so little. A great trip all around.

I was pleasantly surprised. I went to Cuba with some expectations. I thought there would be more decayed buildings. I found a very proud people that are very polite and respectful and ingenious. Not all the buildings are repaired but there is a lot of restoration going on. They love their 40's-50's cars. They recycle everything. The food was different too. More vegetables than I thought. Good that I am vegetarian. We were able to visit Dance troupes. professional artists at their studios, and Musicians. Seeing these cultural icons, we were able to get a great view of who the Cuban people are. I loved this tour even though I am not a fan of tours. Our guides were great and the other participants were exceptional. Everyone was so smart and contributed so much to make this trip so successful.

This was a fantastic experience--not only because the Cuban people were very friendly and welcoming but also because our fellow Road Scholars were interesting and compatible. Most of all, our Road Scholar administrator, Federica, took care of all our needs with great humor, our driver, Juan, was skillful and pleasant, and our guide, Luis, was fantastic in all respects. We would recommend this trip to anyone.

This program was better than I ever could have imagined. The people are warm and friendly, the culture of Cuba extraordinary, our accommodations and meals excellent, and our guides were absolutely outstanding. I would go back to Cuba in a minute.

"The Cuban Art Revolution: Meeting the Artists and People of Cuba" was the most intellectually satisfying tour I have ever taken. Our Cuban guide and our tour leader were top notch. The tour participants had self selected into a group that could easily remain our close friends. The experience was a wonderful window into Cuba before the inevitable onslaught of global brands.

The Cuban Arts experience was the most unusual and engaging of all the trips that my wife and I have taken over the years. It was simply wonderful. I would recommend it to anyone who may not only wish to know more about the arts in Cuba but also to cut through the lack of information that we have about that country and its people.

The entire trip was fascinating and delightful. Not too strenuous, filled with a variety of experiences, with great hotels and delicious meals. Meeting and talking with artists of all sorts made the trip most instructive, and the Cuban tour guide was excellent.

This was such an eye-opening experience. We visited places and saw things that no ordinary tourist would see. The Cuban people were very welcoming, the leadership was very knowledgeable, and Road Scholar was very generous with the accommodations, meals, etc.

This program and our leaders were outstanding--the only negative was the Miami airport and the cold weather snap we experienced. The people to people experience is exceptional and a unique way to experience this lovely country.

This program is packed with arts experiences from professional dance to a children's choir, and visits to award winning artists to a community art project. It was so enlightening to learn how the arts are supported and respected in Cuba. Far from the social realism of old Soviet style art, artists featured incorporate very personal visions of what it means to be Cuban during years of political change. The impact of the US embargo is also very visible and needs to be lifted. Very important trip to experience Cuba in transition.

The Cuban Art Revolution was truly a life transforming experience. To see how the Cuban government supports art and dance and how artists are free to create was enlightening. In America if you are an artist - you sink or swim. Not so in Cuba. In Cuba artists and dancers are highly respected whether they are successful or not. The tour was rich with culture and the tour leaders - Lanna Mullen and Dayon were very knowledgeable and helpful. They were also fun. Let's get rid of the trade embargo. It is pointless today! Sharon and Ron Dunas

This was my husband and my first group trip - ever! It was outstanding. Road Scholar is highly regarded in Cuba, and it showed everywhere we stayed and went. The variety of artists and exposure to people who are prompting the Cuban arts was exceptional. We miss Cuba. It's sad, it's so difficult for Americans. The guides were top-notch professional.

This is a great program for those interested in what is going on in Cuba. The program was varied and interesting with many opportunities to meet the artists and chat with them. The tour guides both Road Scholar and locally in Cuba were both excellent. The whole tour was well organized and generally on schedule. The hotels were clean and comfortable and both very interesting buildings.

Our Cuban tour was amazing. Road Scholar did an outstanding job organizing it and exposing us to a wonderful variety of activities in the arts. Our tour guides were great! We loved our vacation with Road Scholar. When I got home, I went to the library and am reading more about the country we visited.

My trip to Cuba was very educational, wonderful and exceeded my expectations. I would highly recommend this program. This was my first Road Scholar trip, but I hope NOT my last...Great Job in every detail

If you've always dreamed of seeing Cuba take one of the Road Scholar trips. We had many interesting experiences and the musical experience was terrific. Conditions are difficult for the residents and we were exposed to a lot of the realities, but it was all worthwhile.

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